Okay, so for one, the borders I'm using aren't working. So ignore them! D:

Second, I got lost in the forest at my grandfather's last night. I wanted to take a picture of the sunset so I hiked up a hill, then followed a couple deer into the trees, then it got dark and I got lost. Go me!

Key:

"Quotations: Speaking"

Italicized: thinking/emphasized word

Chapter IV: Reunited

Putting one foot in front of the other seemed like much more of an effort than it usually was for Naruto. Drowned by sorrow and rage, his hope was slowly flickering out. But he had to find the one from whom his bonds had been severed - it was the only thing that kept him going. He had picked up only the slightest trace of their chakra-scent, but all seemed futile. The scent had led him out of Konohagakure, and he was now in Iwagakure. All the cliffs made it all the more difficult to search, and in about a day he had lost all hope. There was no more chakra-scent, no nothing. But still he pressed on. He had gotten so far on this journey, and it was because of Sakura and Itachi that he was able to do so. What if Sasuke didn't even want to come back? Naruto thought it over. He would say what Itachi never finished, and perhaps, just maybe, that would change Sasuke's mind. But what was he supposed to do about Orochimaru? He couldn't fight him all by himself. With Sakura and Itachi gone, it seemed like such an impossible feat to tackle - considering he may have to fight Sasuke as well.

Naruto cringed at the thought of fighting his best friend once more. Last time he had been crushed, having to fight the one with whom the bonds he'd always wanted to form had formed within. Only consistent hunger forced him to stop, and he knew that if he didn't eat, he wouldn't have the strength. He walked to a nearby pond and swiped at some fish in the water, only to miss. If he had the energy he would yell at them meaninglessly, but he kept on trying. It wasn't until the sun shifted in the sky and his shadow was moved out of the fish's sight that he was able to scoop one out of the water. It slipped out of his grasp as he tried to catch it. Sooner or later, however, he was cooking a large fish over a fire.

Later he was up and running again. After he ate he began to feel his energy returning, but he hadn't eaten enough to fill himself up. On a full stomach, one became sluggish, and if someone had attacked him he would have little chance of fighting back.

Wait, what's that! He thought in alarm as he picked up strong traces of Sasuke. He followed them, turning around boulders and what not, until he saw an entire cliff that had collapsed. But Sasuke was up there, he couldn't be surer. The cliff had to be a half-mile high, and he was hesitant at first. Soon he realized the only way to Sasuke was over this pile of boulders.

(This is a divider. IGNORE IT! D)

The sun was beginning to set as Naruto neared the top of the seemingly endless blockade. He sidestepped along a rock on a thin surface and resumed his climb. His hopes once again began to rise, as he couldn't picked up any traces of Orochimaru, only Sasuke.

While his mind was preoccupied, he didn't see a loose part in the boulder. When he stepped on it, it gave away. He cried out a little as his arms scraped against the rocks, but he managed to keep his balance until he reached the top.

When he did reach the top, he couldn't believe what he saw.

Carved intricately into the rock was like a maze, halls leading to rooms of all sorts. He hadn't the time to be fascinated, though, he had to find Sasuke. He jumped down into the maze, and it wasn't long before he picked up Sasuke's chakra. It was slow moving, so he guess Sasuke must be asleep. He crept around the corner to the room where the chakra originated and opened the door slowly. And sure enough, on the bed, there was Sasuke. He was asleep, but it didn't matter. Naruto ran in, shut the door and stood over Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" he said.

"N...Naruto?" Sasuke asked tiredly. Naruto guessed that Sasuke had to make the same tiring journey that he himself had to make.

"Why did you let Orochimaru take you with him!" Naruto asked angrily.

"I was forced to come here!" Sasuke yelled, fully awake. "You dobe, get out before Orochimaru finds you!"

Naruto, shocked to hear some concern in his cold voice, whirled around as he heard the door open.

To be continued...

Sorry for the short chapter.